Inflatable safety restraint devices, or “airbag restraints,” are mandatory on most new vehicles. Airbag restraints commonly contain a collision sensor, an inflator, and an inflatable airbag. In the event of an accident, the collision sensor within the vehicle, such as an accelerometer, measures abnormal deceleration and triggers the inflator. The inflator is connected to the one or more airbags positioned within the vehicle. Upon receipt of the signal from the collision sensor, the inflator rapidly produces a quantity of inflation fluid or gas which fills the airbag and protects the passenger from harmful impact with the interior of the vehicle.
Although airbag systems greatly enhance the overall safety of a vehicle, these systems are often visually unappealing and do not match other portions of the vehicle's décor. Accordingly, vehicle manufactures have developed airbag covers that go over the top of the airbag system to prevent the airbag system from being viewed by the occupant. In general, these covers are positioned on the vehicle's steering wheel, dashboard, and/or other locations in the vehicle having an installed airbag. These covers are typically made of a thermoplastic material and will generally correspond to other portions of the décor of the vehicle. During deployment of the airbag, all or a portion of the cover will open to allow the deploying airbag to become positioned in the proper position within the interior of the vehicle. Thus, by positioning an airbag cover over the top of the airbag system, the vehicle occupant will still enjoy the benefits of the airbag system, but at the same time, will have a vehicle interior that is visually appealing.
As is recognized by those skilled in the art, it is necessary to secure the airbag cover to the vehicle to ensure that the deployment of the airbag does not separate the airbag cover from the vehicle. The reason for securing the cover to the vehicle is self-evident: if the airbag cover did, in fact, separate from the vehicle during deployment, the forces associated with deployment could propel the cover into the vehicle interior towards the vehicle occupant.
Airbag and vehicle manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure that the airbag cover does not separate from the vehicle during deployment. In some prior art systems, this may involve attaching, via rivets, bolts, screws, etc., the airbag cover to another portion of the airbag system (such as the airbag container).
Another prior art system for securing the airbag cover to the airbag system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,093 (which patent is incorporated herein by reference and is referred to as the “'093 patent”). The '093 patent attaches the airbag cover through a plurality of “latch hooks” that engage one or more “latch surfaces” on the airbag system. The latch hooks hold and retain the airbag cover during deployment of the airbag. By using these latch hooks, the '093 patent operates to attach the airbag cover without the need for rivets or other fasteners. Accordingly, the '093 patent teaches a means for attaching the airbag cover to the airbag system that is simple and inexpensive to use.
Although the means for attaching an airbag cover taught in the '093 patent has its advantages, this attachment system may not provide sufficient retention of the airbag cover during a severe, violent crash. The reason for this is that the engagement between the latch hooks and the latch surfaces may, in some situations, lack the strength necessary to withstand the strong forces associated with a violent vehicle crash.
A further attachment mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/019768 (which is incorporated herein by reference and will be referred to as the “'768 application”). The '768 application holds and retains the airbag cover in the proper position through the use of a two plates or “plate-like members” that retain an airbag cover in the proper location. While the use of this system does retain the airbag cover, the construction of these multiple plates can be costly.
Accordingly, a new apparatus for attaching an airbag cover to a vehicle is needed. This new attachment mechanism will be, like the '093 patent and the '768 application, easy to use, yet at the same time, will operate to secure the airbag cover to the airbag system during crashes that cause other systems to fail. Such a new system/apparatus is disclosed herein.